QUESTION
Are new agencies being added to the Aging cabinet, and what criteria are used?
1:17:07
·
167 sec
The discussion reveals that new agencies are not currently being added to the Aging cabinet, but the department is open to considering it based on a visionary perspective and purpose.
- Commissioner Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez indicates there's been no direct collaboration or inclusion of the office of criminal justice in the cabinet.
- The criteria for adding new agencies include having a visionary perspective and a purpose that aligns with aging policies.
- The Office of Food Policy is mentioned as having a strong working relationship with the Department for the Aging, but not part of the cabinet due to no improvement in food policy from their inclusion.
- Council Member Crystal Hudson advocates for the inclusion of offices like the Office of Criminal Justice, highlighting potential benefits for services and resources for older adults involved with the justice system.
Crystal Hudson
1:17:07
And what about the office of criminal justice to assist older adults or justice involved?
1:17:11
Or exiting the system?
Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez
1:17:13
No.
1:17:13
We didn't.
1:17:15
I think they asked to be on the cabinet, and there was a rationale why we didn't at the time.
1:17:21
And I think it was probably because of the serve because all of our services are available to older adults, like there's no gap There was no gap in service, but I'll look into that.
1:17:32
I don't remember.
Crystal Hudson
1:17:34
Okay.
1:17:34
And is it are you are you regularly adding new agencies or offices to the cabinet?
1:17:45
And if not, are you open to that?
Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez
1:17:47
We're open to that, but it has to be it has to be from a visionary perspective, you know, to to sit on the cabinet.
1:17:55
Someone's gonna poker.
1:17:56
No.
1:17:57
Not me right now.
1:17:58
To sit on the cabinet, for the sake of sitting on the cabinet and not having a long term vision of how your agency is involved in aging, you know, it really has to be as like, how are we pushing this forward and how are we?
1:18:10
You know, food policy is our whole, you know, like, 90% of our work is around food policy, and we're working with them on a regular basis.
1:18:18
So them sitting on the cabinet doesn't improve or change our food policy.
1:18:22
Right?
Crystal Hudson
1:18:23
I mean sorry.
1:18:25
Go ahead.
Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez
1:18:26
No.
1:18:26
No.
1:18:26
So I'm I'm thinking of, of course, I'm o always open to that, but there's to be a purpose and a and and a vision for that.
Crystal Hudson
1:18:34
I would I mean, I would argue that because of such the the strong working relationship you have with the Office of Food Policy, that that's even more reason to include them in the cabinet because then they can provide you know, best practices and learnings that you all already have established with some of the other agencies that maybe don't have as close of a work working relationship as the office of food policy.
1:18:59
That's just that's just one example.
1:19:01
But I would also say about the office of criminal justice, You know, it may be the case too where the office of criminal justice doesn't understand how their agency might benefit.
1:19:11
From being involved in the cabinet and how by being involved in the cabinet, maybe they can provide better services and resources to folks who are coming out of the the justice system.
1:19:23
So
Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez
1:19:23
Yeah.
1:19:24
And and I
Crystal Hudson
1:19:24
sometimes sometimes people have to be brought along.
1:19:26
You know what I mean?
Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez
1:19:27
Yeah.
1:19:27
Yeah.
1:19:27
No.
1:19:28
And I I I can see in that case, I can see the rationale for justice the for the justice involved.
1:19:37
And because we have a reentry task force, is one of the things that why we said, probably not, but nothing is no is not forever.
Crystal Hudson
1:19:48
Yeah.
Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez
1:19:48
I'm not I'm an old fundraiser.
1:19:50
I know that, and no one's never forever.
1:19:52
Mhmm.
1:19:52
So
Crystal Hudson
1:19:53
okay.